Chapter 12
The signature looked genuine.
Because it was.
Vittorio stared at the document inside his attorney’s office.
He remembered signing the underlying form eighteen months earlier.
It had been an emergency governance update.
The signature page had later been attached to a different resolution.
Bernadette had not forged his signature.
She had repurposed it.
Legally weak.
Politically devastating.
The permanent-removal petition claimed Vittorio acknowledged that family leadership should transfer if his private life created operational danger.
He had never agreed to that wording.
But enough senior relatives recognized the signature to create doubt.
Bernadette arrived at the council meeting with her chin high.
Her pearls were perfectly arranged.
Her breathing was steady.
She believed she still held leverage.
“You wanted truth.”
She placed the petition down.
“There it is.”
Vittorio looked at the council.
Then at her.
“No.”
His voice remained quiet.
“That is my signature.”
A pause.
“It isn't my truth.”
Bernadette smiled.
“You expect everyone to believe your signature means nothing?”
Vittorio looked toward his attorney.
The original eighteen-month-old document appeared on the screen.
Different text.
Same signature page.
Then metadata from Bernadette’s personal laptop showed when the page had been inserted into the new petition.
Her confidence disappeared.
Only briefly.
She recovered.
“You still made the vow.”
“Yes.”
Vittorio stood.
“And my son was endangered.”
Bernadette’s eyes brightened.
She thought he was surrendering.
Vittorio continued.
“By the people claiming I should step aside.”
Silence.
Nico entered.
No longer underboss.
No chair waiting for him.
He placed his own written statement on the table.
Samuel submitted one too.
Bernadette looked between them.
Her breath became shorter.
“You cowards.”
Nico stared at her.
“You lied about Maria.”
Samuel added:
“And Luca.”
Bernadette’s hands tightened around her clutch.
Then she laughed.
“You all needed me.”
Vittorio looked at her.
“No.”
He slid one final document forward.
Her private planning memorandum.
May you like
At the bottom was a section neither Nico nor Samuel had seen.
After Vittorio’s removal, Bernadette intended to remove Nico within ninety days.
